Consequences
by piccolina789
Summary: An interrogation spurs a series of events that makes all the CSIs begin to question their motives and true feelings in a race against time to save one of their own. Snickers, with a smidge of GSR angst. My first shot at a CSI fic, so R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**First-time writer here :) Thanks for giving the story a shot, I hope you stick with it, and let me know what you think! **

**As an FYI - the original character in this story has no relation to the Kaye Shelton case in the real CSI. The last name was a coincidence and I didn't realize it until I had several chapters posted. Sorry! **

**Also, for this chapter and all those that follow, I don't own CSI or their characters. If I did, I wouldn't be a poor little student!**

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Sara swung open the door to the break room's mini fridge, pushing aside jars full of gooey, slimy substances to locate the jug of milk at the back of the shelf. She poured a bit into her coffee as someone from the doorway said her name. She turned to face Warrick, who had a pile of papers in hand.

"Hey," she said, smiling at him as she stirred her coffee. "What's up?"

"We got him."

Sara gaped at him.

"You found Luke Shelton?"

Warrick nodded.

"He's in interrogation with Brass right now," he said.

"Well, let's go," Sara said, abandoning her coffee and striding past Warrick to the small questioning room.

"Sara," Warrick said before they entered, grabbing her elbow. "You're, um… you're here to observe. Brass and I will ask all the questions."

"What?" Sara said, looking confused and a little hurt. "Says who?"

"Grissom," Warrick answered gravely.

Sara turned away from him in frustration.

"C'mon," Warrick said softly. "I'll handle it for the both of us."

The two entered the room and took seats across the table from a huge, burly Luke Shelton.

"Luke Shelton," Brass said, leaning against the table. "You've been a difficult man to find."

"I was on vacation," Luke responded gruffly.

"Convenient," Brass said. "So. Luke. Got a question for you. Where do you work out?"

Luke glanced at his lawyer, who gave an approving nod.

"Fitness Galaxy. Why?"

"But you used to go to Competitive Athletics," Warrick cut in. Switched about… two weeks ago?"

"Yeah. So?"

"I'm sure you've heard of the missing women," Brass continued. "Three of them, kidnapped, raped and murdered, all within the last two weeks."

"Saw them on the news," Luke said. "What is this all about?"

"Christina Hall," Warrick said, placing a photograph on the table. "Went to Fitness Galaxy. As did Amber Jones and Mallory Green. They were all found with their gym membership cards cut into pieces."

Luke responded with a clueless look.

"Let me fill you in," Brass said. "You and Christina Hall met at a casino, two weeks ago. You flirted, she wasn't interested. Wouldn't give you her number, or even let you pay for her drink. So when she pulled out her wallet, you saw her gym card. Decided to… stalk her a little?"

"You have no evidence of that," Luke's lawyer cut in.

"We have your client, with the vic, on casino surveillance tape," Warrick said, placing more photographs on the table.

"Proves merely that he was there."

"And it's just mere coincidence that he switched gyms right after meeting Christina Hall," Brass said. "And coincidence that he ran into Amber Jones and Mallory Green?"

"Can you prove that?"

"Look, you have a history of sexual assault," Warrick said. "We know you had contact with Christina, and eyewitnesses at the gym say they've seen you around Amber and Mallory. That doesn't look good, man."

"Circumstantial," the lawyer said, now looking bored and frustrated. "You no physical evidence that puts my client at any of the three crime scenes, and other than his gym of choice, nothing against him as a suspect. We're leaving."

She pushed back her chair.

"Warrick," Sara muttered, elbowing him.

"Sara, she's right, we have nothing substantial to hold him on," Warrick whispered back. "We have to let him go."

Warrick collected his papers and followed back to the door before he realized his colleague wasn't behind him.

"Sara."

"I'll… catch up to you."

Warrick shot her a warning look, but followed Brass out the door.

"What," Luke spat at Sara, giving her a once-over as she observed him.  
"I know you killed those women, Luke," she said evenly. "I just can't prove it. Not yet. But I promise you, I will. I will not sleep or eat until I find what I'm looking for. I _will_ get you."

In a sudden motion, Luke started towards her and shoved her away from him. The observing police officers responded quickly, grabbing him and pulling him away from her.  
"Not if I get you first," he said with a nasty look.

The officers escorted Luke from the room, and Warrick entered as they passed.

"What the hell was that?"

"Did you hear that?" Sara asked, ignoring him. "Those three women… they were all tall brunettes, same profile as me."

"That doesn't prove anything, Sara," Warrick sighed.

"I know he did it, Warrick," Sara said. "And you do too. You just don't want to prove it."

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A/N This isn't my first story, but it's my first attempt at a CSI fic. Let me know what you think, and suggestions are welcome! Thanks :)


	2. Chapter 2

Nick walked to the doorway and knocked sharply on the frame.

"Grissom," he said. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Just give me… one minute," his supervisor said, not even looking up from the desk.

From what he could tell, it looked like Grissom was about to amputate something, and knowing Grissom as well as he did, it was probably something Nick didn't care to see. He diverted his eyes until he was finished.

"Okay," Grissom said, finally making eye contact. "What is it?"

"It's Sara."

"What about her?"

"I'm worried about her," Nick said bluntly. "Aren't you?"

"Should I be?"

Nick felt like punching the wall.

"Have you seen her lately?" he asked, tension rising in his voice.

"Yes," Grissom replied evenly, continuing after a pause. "Not for an extended amount of time, but, yes."

"She doesn't look good."

Grissom gave him a questioning look.

"She looks fine."

"Look, Griss," Nick went on, trying to keep his cool. "I've worked alongside Sara for years, I know her pretty well. I know she puts up walls, she's guarded, doesn't like to let people in. But every once in a while, something puts a dent in that wall and she cracks. Sometimes it's a case, sometimes it's something else, but something's cracked her wall lately, and I don't know what it is."

"She… seemed to have gotten over the Natalie incident," Grissom tried to rationalize. "Did all her therapy sessions… her arm is healed…"

"She walks around here like a zombie, Grissom," Nick said, leaning against his boss's desk. "Doesn't recognize what's going on around her, you practically have to wave a hand in front of her face to get her to realize someone's talking to her. She sits in the break room, just staring at a wall."

"She does that sometimes," Grissom replied softly. "She gets too involved in a case, shuts everything else out…"

"She's not eating, Grissom," Nick nearly shouted. "Maybe if you looked twice at her, you'd realize she's skin and bones."

Grissom was silent.

"From the looks of her," Nick went on. "She's not sleeping either."

"Not eating, or sleeping?"

Nick didn't dignify the repetition with a response, merely nodding his head.

"Now that doesn't sound like Sara."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Nick pressed.

Grissom looked flummoxed, waving his hand vaguely as if trying to fish for an answer.

"Take her out," Nick answered for him. "She needs to get out of this lab, away from these cases. Just… take her to dinner, and get her mind off things."

"I can't do that," Grissom said slowly.

"Damnit, Griss, why not?" Nick cried, pounding the desk. "You're her supervisor."

"Exactly."

Nick pushed himself away from the desk, kneading his forehead in frustration. He whipped back to face Grissom.

"Then you won't mind if I take her out?"

For a second, a flicker of emotion crossed Grissom's face. If Nick knew his supervisor well enough, he would identify it as a mix of surprise and… jealousy? No, maybe not jealously. Regret, possibly?

"Of course," Grissom replied airily, his focus back on his desk. "Do whatever you need to do."

"Thanks a lot," Nick replied sarcastically, leaving the room.

He caught a glimpse of a brunette head bobbing down the hallway. She was leaving the DNA lab, a glazed sort-of look on her face.

"Sara," he called. "Sara!"

When she didn't respond, he jogged to catch up with her and grabbed her arm, causing her to drop the load of case files she was hauling.

"What's got you so jumpy?" he asked as he bent to collect them. "You okay?"

He pressed the folders back into her hands as she gave her unconvincing response.

"Uh huh."

He studied her face skeptically. She was paler than usual, and definitely thinner. But what worried Nick most was the general look of anxiety on her face.

"Yeah, okay," Nick joked. "That's not even a decent attempt at a lie, Sara Sidle. You can do better than that."

She flashed him a faint smile.  
"Sorry."

She clutched the folders to her chest and started to make her way down the corridor.

"Sara."

He grabbed her elbow again, this time pulling her into a room on their right, filled with shelves piled high with labeled jars and boxes.

"How are you really doing?"

"I'm fine, Nick," she replied, edging around him. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay," he called after her, hearing his Texas accent kick in like it usually did when he got frustrated. "I just thought you trusted me more than that."

That made her stop. She turned in the doorway to face him, the light from the hall illuminating her figure.

"Nicky."

He couldn't help but smile at her use of his nickname.

"It's just been… rough lately," she replied vaguely. "But honestly, don't worry about it. I'm dealing with it."

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it to reassure him. He wanted to ask her _what _she was dealing with, but instead called after her once more.

"Sara?"

"Hm?"

"You wanna… grab a bite after shift?" he asked. "Head to the diner, or… whatever you feel like."

She gave him another faint smile, more genuine than the last, but still not wide enough to show the gap between her front teeth he loved so much.

"Thanks, Nicky, but I don't know if I'm up for it," she said. "I'm pretty tired."

"Just a drink then," he pushed. "Or, just come back to my place and watch a movie or something."

He knew movie dates were usually her and Warrick's thing, it had started when he spent afternoons with her in the hospital after the attack. But he was sure Warrick wouldn't mind, and anyway, he was desperate.

Sara too, could obviously see that he was not going to give up.

"Okay," she sighed. "But seriously, I can't stay long."

"Okay," he said, winking at her.

"And this is not a date," she added, pointing her finger at him accusingly.

"No, ma'am."

She rolled her eyes at him and wacked his arm with the case files on her way out. He watched her go, thinking that it was a step, albeit, a small one. Dinner, drinks, or a movie, it didn't really matter. He was going to get down to the bottom of this business. Solve the new case. What's irking Sara Sidle?


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I was really excited to see some feedback, so I thought I'd go ahead and post the next chapter. Any comments, suggestions or criticism you guys have, I'd love to hear them. Enjoy!

Later that night, Nick opened his apartment door to Sara, in her typical jeans and t-shirt, leaning against his porch against a background of rain.

"Sidle."

"Stokes," she replied.

She was smiling, but looked slightly uncomfortable at the same time. Nick realized she had never been to his place before. He had been to hers, once, when doing an errand for Grissom.

"Get your skinny ass in here, what are you waiting for?" he kidded, gesturing her inside.

"Wow," she said appreciatively. "Nice place, Nicky."

He grinned at her.

"Thanks. Want anything to drink?"  
"Yeah, I'll have a beer," she replied, her eyes sweeping over his living room.

He chuckled to himself as he cracked open the refrigerator, appreciating that she wasn't the kind of girl who needed a fruity cocktail or a margarita. He grabbed two frosted bottles by the neck and handed one to his co-worker.

"So," she said, taking it. "What's the film du soir?"

"Whatever you want," Nick answered, shrugging and walking towards his movie cabinet. "I've got everything… action, oldies… some nice romance flicks."

He layered the last few words with sarcasm.

She shot him a look, her fingers running over the spines of the movies.

"How about a horror?"

He gave her an interested look.

"Slasher girl, are you?"

She plopped on his couch.

"We see dead bodies every day," she said. "And anyway, I like to watch the details. You know, they always get the blood spatter wrong. And the killers _never_ use gloves."

Nick had to laugh. It was just like her to concentrate on forensics while watching a movie.

"You promise you won't get scared?" he teased.

"Nicky."

Nick laughed again and selected the most gruesome and creepy movie he owned, putting the disc in the player and sitting next to Sara, a safe distance away. Sure enough, she spent the first ten minutes pointing out fingerprints and trace evidence, but went back on her word as the film progressed. Soon enough, Nick found her curled up against him, burying her head in his t-shirt from time to time.

"Thought you said you don't get scared, Sidle?"

"You did this on purpose," she muttered into his chest.

She lifted her head.

"You picked this one on purpose, didn't you?"

Nick flashed her a grin as his response.

"You jerk," she said, swatting at him.

"I thought you'd be okay," he teased. "I mean, we see dead bodies _everyday_."

"Yeah, but we don't see them _die_."

"All right, all right."

He picked up the remote and switched of the television, still slightly amused that Sara had gotten freaked.

"So what are we going to do now?" he asked her, wiggling his eyebrows.

She wacked him again.

"Feel like a bite?" he asked.

She bit her lip as she thought about it.

"You know, yeah. Yeah, I do."

"Great, cause I'm starved," Nick said, grabbing his coat and keys. "And the bachelor pad's short on grub."

"Where are we going?"

"New place," he replied. "C'mon."

They dashed through the rain to his car, right before the drops turned into a downpour, and thunder boomed in the distance.

"Nasty night," he noted, liking how the shadows fell on Sara's face.

She made a noncommittal noise as he pulled out of his driveway and, ten minutes later, into a parking lot.

"Chinese?" she asked.

"Vegetarian Chinese," he replied, winking at her.

She smiled at his thoughtfulness as they sprinted inside.

"Two," Nick said, flashing a peace sign at the greeter.

They followed a gangly teenager who had a slight resemblance to Greg to their table, right next to the kitchen door. They settled down and swept over the menu.

"So, Sara Sidle," Nick said, putting his elbows on the table and his head in his hands.

"So, Nick Stokes," Sara responded, copying him.

He observed her for a second.

"So, what's eating you?" he asked.  
"What are you talking about?" Sara responded airily, taking her elbows off the table and returning her gaze to her menu.

"C'mon, Sara," Nick pried. "I _know_ something's wrong."

"Is that what this is all about?" she asked, a hint of anger on her face and in her tone. "The movie… the dinner… are you just trying to wheedle something out of me?"

Nick shrugged noncommittally.

"Did Grissom put you up to this?"

"No," Nick said firmly. "No, he sure didn't."

She sighed.

"Sara," he said, more softly. "Look, you haven't been yourself lately. Everyone's noticed it."

She cocked her eyebrow.

"Everyone?"

"Yeah," Nick answered, deciding it was best to leave Grissom out of it. "And if something's bothering you, you can tell me."

She fidgeted in her seat, chewing on her lip and not meeting his gaze.

"Is it Natalie?"

She flinched slightly at the name, but still didn't speak.

"Sara, you can talk to me about it," he went on. "Same thing happened to me, remember? I thought I was going to die, but I got rescued. Just like you."

His voice was calm and comforting, but it seemed to have the opposite effect on Sara, who was becoming increasingly agitated. He looked at her sympathetically. He knew how she felt. It was their similar experiences that had brought them even closer together the last couple of weeks. Nick remembered all too well how jumpy and restless he was after being buried alive. A slight prickle on his neck would bring back terrifying memories of ants crawling over him, of a dark box and stuffy air.

"I can't get her face out of my head," Sara said slowly. "I can't forget thinking how… how _hopeless_ I felt, trapped out there, waiting to die."

"I know."

"I can't sleep," she said, choking back tears. "If I do, I have nightmares, and I wake up screaming…"

Her voice cracked as she broke off. Nick took her hand.

"Sara, I know," he said in almost a whisper. "But Natalie… she's gone. She's locked up, and it's all over. She can't hurt you again."

"She took me because of Grissom," Sara said evenly, her eyes looking past Nick to some other place. "And now… he won't even look at me."

"Do you love him?"

"I did," she said, her voice shaking. Her hand was trembling with in his. "So much. But I… I don't know if I do anymore."

She still wasn't crying, Nick knew how much she hated showing vulnerability. He wished they were still at his apartment, where he could pull her over to him and hug her, something he couldn't do in the noisy, crowded restaurant.

"Sara," he said. "Grissom was…"

But what Grissom was, Sara didn't want to know.

"Nick, I…" she cut off. "I don't want to talk about Grissom. Or… any of this."

"Sara…"

"I should probably just go," she said, closing her menu.

"Sara, please."

"I'm sorry, Nick."

She glanced at him, and he saw the pain in her eyes. She stood from the table and hurried out the restaurant. After a quick apologetic look at their waitress, he followed her out.

"Sara!" he called, panting. "At least let me take you home."

She turned and faced him sadly.

"It's okay," she said, shrugging. "I can catch a cab back."

"I'm taking you home."

He put a strong hand on her lower back and guided the both of them to their car. The drive home was short, but silent. As he pulled up in front of Sara's apartment, he turned to face her.

"Sara, I…" he trailed off, at a loss of what to say. "I'm sorry…"

"Nicky," she said as she put her hand on his. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You've always been there for me and I know you're just… trying to help."

"I _can_ help," Nick pressed. "If you just let me…"

"No, Nick," she said, shaking her head. "No one can help. I just… I have to deal with this the only way I know how."

When she saw his worried expression, she gave him an encouraging smile.

"Don't worry about me," she said. "I'll be fine. Really."

"You'll call me?" he asked. "If you need… anything?"

"Of course. Thanks, Nicky."

"Night, Sara."

She slipped out the car and he watched her make her way up to the front door, giving him a weak smile before closing the door behind her. Nick gave a loud sigh, letting his head drop back on the headrest. He felt sad and worried, but most of all, angry. Angry at himself for not being able to talk to her. He knew for years she confided in Grissom, that they were closer than any of the team realized. But after the incident… Grissom had pulled away. And as much as he still admired his supervisor, a part of Nick hated him for doing that to Sara, pulling away when she needed him most. He guessed he expected that he could take Grissom's place as someone she could talk to.

He sighed again as he backed out of her drive. Maybe she just wasn't ready. It _had _only been a few weeks since Natalie had abducted Sara, dragged her drugged and tasered into the desert and left her to die. She would open up, in time, he told himself. Just give her time.

Sara walked, as silent as a ghost, into her apartment and sat on the couch, staring into the nothingness. Against her will, she felt tears welling up in her eyes, and she punched a nearby pillow in frustration.

She was furious at herself. Nick had been so kind to her tonight, like he always was. She _wished_ she were able to open up to him. But as much as she wanted to, she just couldn't. She had been hurt by one too many men in her past. And when she finally found someone she could confide in, she told him everything. And where did that get her? He would hardly even look at her now.

She headed to the kitchen, her apartment still in darkness, and pulled a beer from the fridge. Sighing as she cracked it open, she suddenly froze, whipping around.

_Creeeeak._ There it was again. She inched towards the light switch on the wall and flipped them on, plunging the room into brightness. Nobody there.

She breathed a sigh of relief. She loved her job, but if there was one thing it did to her, it was make her paranoid. She headed back to living room and stretched out on the couch, trying not to picture Grissom sitting in the same spot as she poured her heart to him. She felt her eyes flutter closed, but they snapped open again with another creak of a floorboard.

She stood to peek into her bedroom, but a pair of firm, strong hands grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth. She felt the sharpness of a knife against her throat.

"Just who I've been looking for," a hoarse voice breathed into her ear.


	4. Chapter 4

"Catherine!"

"Hey, Nicky," the redhead smiled. "How was your date last night?"

"Ha ha," he laughed back at her. "It wasn't a date."

"So what's up?" Catherine asked, the two walking side by side towards the DNA lab.

"Have you seen Sara?"

"No," Catherine replied curiously, checking her watch. "It's not like her to be late… is she sick?"

"I just saw her last night, she can't be."

Nick poked his head into the lab.

"Hey, Greggo," Nick said. "You seen Sara?"

The lab tech shrugged.

"Nope."

"Nick," Catherine said as he practically ran, agitated, towards Grissom's office. "Nick, what's up?"

They reached Grissom's door, followed shortly by Greg, and Nick rapped on the door.  
"Come in."

"Griss, you seen Sara today?" Nick asked him, praying for the answer he wanted.  
"No… why?"

"Damnit," Nick swore under his breath as he took off again, this time towards the front desk.

"Judy," he said, addressing the lab receptionist. "Has Sara been in at all today?"

"I haven't seen her, Mr. Stokes," Judy replied distractedly.

"Why you looking for Sara, Nicky?" asked a passing Warrick, his arms full of boxes.

"She hasn't been in today," Nick said, breathless. "It's not like Sara to not show up to work…"

He turned to face his co-workers, whose faces were full of concern.

"I'm going to go check on her."

"Nick, I'm sure she's okay," Catherine reasoned. "There's probably perfectly normal explanation."

"Yeah, well, I'm going anyway."

"Hey, wait up, man," Warrick said, passing his boxes off to Catherine. "Could you handle these for me, Cath? I'm going with him."

"All right."

"Nick, calm down," Warrick called after his friend, jogging to catch up to him. "I'm sure she's okay."

Nick slammed his car door in response, and Warrick ran to the other side to get in the passenger's seat. He hardly had time to shut the door before Nick was speeding out of the lab parking lot and into the street.

"She was not okay last night," Nick said, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

In record time, the CSIs pulled into Sara's drive.

"Shit," Nick breathed as they got out of the car.

The front door was ajar, something that not even Warrick could reason was a good sign.

"Nick!" Warrick called, throwing his arm out to prevent Nick from bursting into the apartment. "Careful."

Nick nodded and copied Warrick, drawing his gun carefully from his waistband. They inched towards the door.

"Sara?" Nick called. "Sara!"

"Sara, it's Nick and Warrick," Warrick said. "If you're home… say something."

Nick pushed the door open and stepped cautiously inside.

"Shit," Nick said again as their eyes swept over the apartment.

It was a scene of complete chaos. Papers everywhere, lamps knocked over, and a whole lot of blood smeared over the walls and floors.

"Damnit," Warrick swore, reaching for his phone. "Nick – don't touch a thing."

He speed dialed the lab's number.

"Griss, it's Rick. We're gonna need you and everyone else out here right away. Sara's place. It's… not good. Okay. Okay. Bye."

Inside, Nick was also on the phone, muttering to himself.

"C'mon Sara, pick up," he said, his gaze still scanning the room. "Pick up, Sara. _Pick up._"

"Grissom's on his way," Warrick announced, coming back inside.

"No answer on Sara's cell," Nick said, snapping his phone shut. "Damnit, Warrick, I knew something was wrong. And I left her. I… _left _her."

"Nick, this is not your fault," Warrick said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

A knock interrupted them.

"Hey, guys," Catherine said quietly. "Wow."

She turned her head this way and that, examining the room. A voice came from behind her.  
"We got here as soon as we could."

It was Brass.

"What happened here?" he asked.  
"Dunno," Warrick replied. "We got here and found… this."

"Did you try Sara's cell?" Grissom asked. He was so subdued, nobody had even realized he was there, standing next to Greg.

"Yeah, Nicky did," Warrick answered. "No answer."

"Oh my God," Greg breathed, looking heartbroken as he took in the smears of blood on the wall. "Sara."

"Let's go."

They divided, each taking a section of the apartment to process. Greg had to take several breaks, stepping outside each time to get air and making odd choking noises from his throat.

"Guys," he said after returning from the front porch. "Look at this."

He snapped a picture as the rest of the team gathered around him.

"Is that what I think it is?" Catherine asked, peering at the shredded plastic.  
"Gym card," Warrick answered for her.

"Like the ones found at the other crime scenes?"  
"Looks like it."

"But… Sara doesn't go to Fitness Galaxy," Greg said, confused.

"No, she doesn't," Grissom replied, picking up the largest piece of the shredded card with gloved fingers. "This card belongs to Luke Shelton."


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thanks for reading and sticking with the story, I love reading your feedback! I've got about one more chapter that's pre-written, and tonight I wrote what will be the ending, but I can't seem to get the two to connect. So let me know where you'd like to see the story go!_

_

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_

"Oh no," Warrick said in a low voice. "Let me see that."

Grissom handed the piece to Warrick.

"Damn," he breathed.

"What?" Catherine asked. "What is it?"

"Each of the three murdered women were found with their gym card cut up next to their body," Warrick explained. "We questioned a suspect, but had nothing to hold him on. So we let him go."

"Well, why's he coming after Sara?" Greg asked.  
"They had… words," Warrick replied. "Sara swore to him that she'd catch him, and he… he told her he'd get her first."

Silence hung in the air.

"If he was so careful at the other crime scenes," Catherine reasoned slowly. "Didn't leave any trace for us to nail him with… why would he leave his gym card where we could easily find it?"

"To taunt us," Grissom replied gravely.  
"Well, he left the other gym cards near the bodies, right?" Greg asked. "But Sara's not here. So… that means she's still alive, right?"

Warrick gave a slow nod.

"I _told_ her not to get involved in cases," Grissom said, looking a mix between angry and anxiety.

"Hey," Nick cut in, finally speaking up. "This guy raped and murdered three women, and Sara couldn't get him for it. That would make any one of us upset."

"Come on, guys," Catherine encouraged. "Let's concentrate on what's important right now. Sara."

Grissom took a deep breath.

"Greg, take this back to the lab and confirm the DNA," he told him, handing him a capped swab.

"What?" Greg stuttered. "No… no, I want to stay and help find Sara."

"You _are_ helping to find her," Grissom said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I think you need to get out of here for a little bit."

Greg nodded, and Nick, watching him, felt a rush of affection towards him. He knew Greg had long adored Sara, and after he had gotten over a fervent crush on her, the two had become like brother and sister.

Greg sauntered out the apartment, clapped on the back by Brass and he made his way in.

"I put a broadcast out for Shelton's car," he said. "And a squad is heading over to his place now. I'm going to meet them there."

Grissom nodded.

"Let's bag what's important and take it back to the lab."

"Back to the lab?" Nick repeated incredulously. "What about finding Sara?"

"That's what we're doing, Nick," Grissom responded calmly. "The evidence will tell us all we need to know."

Nick kicked a chair in frustration and headed out Sara's front door. He'd _had it_ with Grissom and his evidence. For all Nick cared, they should forget all of it and send every cop car, squad and helicopter in the county out looking for her. He jumped as a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Nick," came Catherine's comforting voice. "Are you okay?"

"No," Nick said firmly, deciding not to sugarcoat things. "No, I'm not okay. This is not _fair_, Catherine."

"I know, Nicky," she said softly, both of them lowering themselves onto Sara's porch swing.

"It's just… one thing after another," Nick said, anger in his voice. "The Natalie thing, now this?"

Catherine nodded.  
"It's horrible, Nick, but sometimes it's part of the job," she said. "Sara knew that."

"She _knows_ that," Nick corrected.  
"Right," Catherine said. "Look, Nick, she pulled through once, she can do it again. We'll find her."

"You really believe that?"

"Yeah, I do," Catherine said convincingly. "We've got the best lab in the country and the best team in the world. And the fact that we all love and care about Sara… that's just going to make us work harder. We'll find her."

* * *

Sara cracked her eyes open. Her vision was fuzzy and her head was swimming. She tried to move, but found her hands bound behind her back, her feet tied together with rope. She tried to speak, but a band of duct tape sealed her mouth. Something warm trickled down her cheek. Blood.

And then she remembered. She remembered him attacking her in her apartment, her fight to get away. How she was smashed into the window with a strong push from his huge arms, shattering the glass and getting blood everywhere.

She turned her head as much as she could. Where was she? It looked like some sort of shack, but with her limited visibility, she couldn't be sure. Rain was pounding outside.

"Oh, someone's awake," a hoarse voice cooed. It was a chilling combination, the softness and the gruffness. She felt a sharp edge trail down her cheek – he was caressing her face with a knife.

"I told you I'd get you first," Luke Shelton murmured. "Even though you were right about me, I won."

"Sara Sidle," he chuckled. "Born Tamales Bay. Abusive father, murderous mother. But all that foster care didn't stop you, did it? Graduated high school at 16, Harvard, Berkeley…"

He caught a glimpse of her face.

"Oh yes, I know all about you," he said thickly. "See, I research my victims before I take them. Know what they like, what they can't stand. How to _get_ to them. Makes the actual job a lot easier."

He eased the knife off her face and moved it towards her stomach. He lifted her shirt and she felt the coldness of the metal against her skin.

"You know how I knew you'd be alone last night?" he asked. "Because you're _always_ alone. No family, no boyfriend. Just you and your job. You were so… distracted, you didn't even see me coming."

Sara's heart was pounding and she could see her chest moving up and down in tune with her panicked breathing.

"What, you got something to say? Let's hear it then."

He ripped the tape of her mouth, leaving her skin stinging.

"I have a family," she corrected him slowly, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. "And they're looking for me… right now."

"But they'll never find you," Luke said in a singsong voice, pushing the knife a little harder against her. "At least… not in time."

With that, he covered her mouth again and stood from the couch on which she was lying.

"See, you're my type, Sara Sidle," he said. "You must know by now that I have a type. I like brunettes. I like tall, slender brunettes."

He crouched down above her and stroked her skin. She flinched, wanting him off her.

"Each murder was a thrill, but I have to say, this one is… particularly satisfying."

He glanced at her.

"Oh, yes. I _am_ going to kill you," he said with a sick smile stretched on his face. "But not before we have some fun."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Next chapter! I've been suffering from some writer's block, so this is all I have written so far. I promise to work through it, I'm fond of this story and I'm proud of it for being my first shot, so I really want to finish what I've started. Long story short, I apologize if there's a gap between now and the next chapter, I'll write as fast as possible. So... read slow? And let me know what you think in a review :)**

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"Grissom. Hi, Greg. Okay. Thanks."

Grissom snapped his phone shut and turned towards the others.

"All the blood is Sara's," he announced. "Greg's confirmed DNA from all the samples we took."

"Indicates… she didn't struggle," Catherine concluded.  
"Now that's not Sara," Nick said. "She fought Natalie. Found a way out of the trunk of that car and fought her. Fought her way out from under the wreck and walked in the desert for hours. Sara's a fighter, she wouldn't have just… let him take her."

"Maybe she didn't have a chance to fight, Nicky," Warrick responded. "He could have… drugged her, stabbed her… who knows what."

"Hey."

Brass knocked on the door and Nick groaned. It was not a good sign if he was back already.

"That was fast," Grissom remarked carefully. "What'd you find?"

"Nothing," Brass said, obviously frustrated. "Not a _damn_ thing. The whole apartment gave us nothing. No mail, no phone messages, no personal items. A unit found his car off I-15, but so far, no traces of Sara."

"He probably didn't use his car to take her," Grissom thought aloud. "He didn't leave traces of himself in his own apartment… why would he leave traces of her in his car?"

"So where does this leave us?" Brass cut him off. "What do we do next?"

"We process."

"Damnit, Grissom, Sara is taken," he shouted. "Taken. Kidnapped. I'm not going to wait around for evidence to come through slow as molasses as he does who knows what to her!"

Grissom stared at his long-time friend, surprised at his outburst.

"Sorry," Brass grumbled, looking past Grissom at the wall. "It's just… I don't want anything to happen to her."

"Neither do I, Jim," Grissom said softly.

Brass turned away from him. In all truthfulness, he had always thought of Sara like a daughter. Her tenacity and determination always made him chuckle, and even if she channeled it in the wrong way like she sometimes did, Sara possessed all the qualities he wished his real daughter had. His real daughter… who wouldn't let him get close, wouldn't let him help her. He had tried, but all Ellie did was push him away. So somehow, he found himself growing attached to Sara instead.

After Natalie took her, he kept a close eye on her, never letting her work cases in the city's bad neighborhoods and every once in a while, slipped hints to Grissom to let her off early or give her an extra break. He found himself smiling absently, as he knew she would be furious if she knew. But the smile quickly disappeared. Nothing he had done had helped protect her. She was missing again, and the hands of yet another serial killer. They had gotten lucky once… would they be so fortunate again?

As Brass turned back to face the team, a shrill tone rang from his pocket.

"Brass."

He saw Nick's head snap in his direction, his eyes concentrating on his face.

"Yeah? Okay. I'll be out there right away. Don't do anything."

"What?" Nick asked desperately. "What is it?"

"Small lead," Brass responded, not wanting to get hopes up just yet. "The units that found Shelton's car found wad of paper crumpled under the seat. With a telephone number for the Stardust Motel."

"You going over there?"

"Yeah."

"I'm coming with you," Nick said, shoving his bagged evidence at Warrick. "You find anything… you call me right away."

Warrick nodded.

"You got it."

"C'mon," Nick grunted, striding right past Brass and towards the parked squad car outside. "Let's go find Sara."

* * *

Her head was pounding and her heavy eyelids kept forcing their way closed. She made herself opening them again, feeling like her head weighed fifty pounds. Her arm was stinging, she knew she was bleeding. Her stomach felt like it was twisted in knots.

Fighting to keep conscious, Sara felt splashes of cool water on her face. She somehow made her mouth open, and let the liquid rush inside, filling her dry mouth. She swallowed gratefully, but soon her vision became even more fuddled, her head swirling, making her so dizzy, she had to close her eyes. She was shaking and lightheaded… he was drugging her.

She opened her mouth, trying to speak, but no words came out. She could feel him standing above her.

"Nighty night."

* * *

Nick, Brass and a few other officers burst into the Stardust Motel, a seedy, dirty establishment way off the strip, with a fervor that made the desk clerk jump.

"Jim Brass, LVPD," Brass said to him, flashing his badge. "Nick Stokes, Crime Lab. Have you seen this man?"

He held up a picture of Luke and the man, a husky guy in his late fifties with bags under his eyes, stared at him.

"Um, maybe," he muttered.

Brass slammed his hands on the desk, making the man jump again.

"No maybe," Brass growled. "Yes or no. Have you seen him tonight?"

The guy took another look at the photo, staring at it closely.

"You know what, yeah," he said, enlightened. "Yeah, he's been here a few times actually, checked in earlier tonight."

"Was he with her?" Nick cut in, beating Brass to the punch and whipping out his wallet to show the guy a picture of Sara.

Brass shot Nick a curious look, but he ignored it.

"Maybe… I mean, I think so," the guys replied. "He came in to pay for the room, with cash, by himself. There was someone else out in the car with him, but I couldn't really see who it was. It coulda been her."

"What room?"

"Ummm…" the guy flipped through a book. "Two… 207. It's in the far lot."

The group sprinted past the rows of dingy units to the very last one, tucked in the corner facing an alley. Nick took the steps two at a time until they reached the door of Room 207.

"Back up, Nick," Brass told him, pushing him away from the door and pounding on it. "Luke Shelton? LVPD, open up."

No response.

"Open it."

The officers nailed the doorknob with a rod and kicked open the door. Brass shot Nick a warning look.

"Don't do anything stupid."

Guns and flashlights drawn, they stormed the musty room, frantically searching for any signs of life. It was…

"Empty," Nick shouted, kicking a creaky bed. "There's nothing here."

"There's no _one_ here," Brass corrected. "But there's something."

**A/N Let me know what you think! x**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Looks like this is going to be nine chapters. I wrote this chapter yesterday, and I'm working on rounding out the ending. I have a busy week, but I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as I can! Thanks for sticking with the story :)**

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"Looks like GHB," Nick said, standing in the room's small bathroom with Brass. He shined his light on the empty water bottle lined at the bottom with a white, clumpy powder. "We'll have to get it to trace to be sure."

"Nick."

Greg's voice came from the bedroom. He had left the lab to help Nick process the second scene. Nick was standing by him in seconds.

"There's traces of rope on the bedposts," Greg said, directing his beam of light at the cracked metal post. "He tied her up here."

"He breaks into her apartment, and attacks her," Nick reasoned aloud, pacing the room. "Puts her in a rented car and drives out here to rent a room. Ties her up, drugs her. Then what?"

"Why's he leading us on a wild goose chase?" Greg asked. "I mean, the other girls, there was just one primary scene. We've got two, and now there's bound to be another."

"Yeah, but where?"

"Hey, Nick, hit the lights," Greg said, still processing the scene.

He shined his ALS light on the bed, and stared up at Nick, wide-eyed when he saw the results.

"Semen," he croaked. "Lots of it."

"Shit," Nick swore loudly, aiming a swift kick at the room's wobbly table. "That _bastard_!"

"Hey, calm down," Brass said, joining them in the bedroom.

"Okay, well, we know she was here," Greg said, throwing an anxious look at Nick.

"Yeah, and no idea where she _is_," Nick said distractedly.

A soft beeping came from his pocket. Digging his hands into his jeans, he pulled out his cell and flipped it open.

"Oh my God."

"Who is it?" Greg asked him absently, still processing the bed sheets.

"I think its Sara."

* * *

When Sara came to, she was even more beaten and bruised than before. But there was no way she was giving up. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to stabilize the spinning room. She could hear grunts from outside. The rain had stopped.

She cracked her eyes open, and the light coming from the window made her head sear with pain. As she twisted around to get a better look at the room, her eyes searched desperately for something, anything, she could use to help her. Her eyes landed on the bedside table and stared at the object lying there in disbelief. He _had _to be kidding.

He had left his cell phone. Lying there, feet away from her, when he had been so careful with everything else. Her wrists were bound, but she could still use the keys…

She struggled against the bondage with all her might. Her fingers inches from the phone, the ropes around her waist and ankles cut into her skin. She clenched her jaw shut, determined not to make a sound. Finally, she closed her fingers around the small, silver phone.

She took a second to look it over. It looked new. Certainly it would have a tracking system in it…

Throwing a furtive glance at the cracked door, she paused. The grunting had stopped, but she couldn't hear any sound of him approaching. Quickly, she punched in the first number that came to her mind – Nick's cell. In the body of the message, she typed just five letters.

* * *

"What?"

Greg was staring open-mouthed at Nick, who was still gaping at the phone's screen.

"What does it say?"

Greg made his way around the bed to Nick's side, shortly joined by Brass.

"Says… 'gps –ss'," Nick said slowly.

"SS… _has_ to be Sara," Greg said, excitement creeping into his voice.

"But what… gps… gps," Nick said, pacing the room. "GPS! GPS signal! Greg, gimme your phone."

Nick punched in an autodial and started talking before the man on the other line could say hello.

"Archie, I need you to track a cell number," Nick said frantically, glancing at the message's 'sent' line. "702-555-9693."

Nick's hand twitched nervously at his side as he heard Archie tapping on the keys of the lab's computer.

"Got it," he said suddenly. "It's out in the middle of nowhere… by Route 93. It's not moving."

_Good girl, Sara_, he thought.

"Thanks."

Nick snapped the phone shut and made for the door.

"Let's go."

They left a few officers at the scene, but Nick, Greg and Brass piled into a squad car and made towards Route 93, sirens blaring and engines roaring. Nick heard Greg relying the information to Catherine, but he was too busy listening to Archie, whom he had on speaker.

"You're about 25 miles away," he was saying. "The signal is well off the road… I don't think there's anything there…"

"Just stay on the line, Arch."

They made a sharp right turn off the highway and onto the rocky terrain of the desert when Archie said so.

"You're about ten miles away."

Nick's eyes were feverishly scanning the horizon. That same scene kept flashing through his mind.

"_You're acting like we're going to rescue a person, not recover a body, and on this job that's just no usually the case." _

He could feel beads of sweat dripping down from his forehead as more images flashed like lightening in front of his eyes. Sara laughing when he teased her. Feeling her stand so close behind him, her chin almost on his shoulder, as they crouched over evidence. That smirk she got on her face when she finally solved something. Nick pouring water over her crumpled, exhausted body that day they found her in the desert.

"_When it's your day, it's your day, you know?" _

He was muttering to himself.

"We're comin', Sara, we're comin'. Just hold on."

"Five miles… drive a little more east."

"Two… one… you're right there."

"There!"

Nick's head snapped in the direction of Greg's pointed finger. There, in a midst of an enormous dust cloud, was a tiny, run-down shack. Nick threw protocol out the window as he drew his gun and ran full-speed into the shack's open doorway. There was just one room, with a moth-eaten bed, but no Sara.

"Nick!"

Greg's voice came from outside. Nick tore out of the room and joined Greg, Brass and a handful of officers at the back of the shack. Luke Shelton was there, standing over a huge hole in the dirt, a shovel tossed to the side. Sara was there too, looking weak in his chokehold, standing stock-still against the gun he was holding at her neck.

Nick's heart broke at the sight of her. She was looking right at him.

"Sara."

He took a step towards her, but as he did, Luke released the safety on the gun.

"You come any closer, it's lights out," he grumbled.

"Okay, okay," Brass cut in. "We got it. We won't come any closer. We just want our CSI back."

"I can't give her back," Luke said evenly. "Everything's already… arranged."

He dropped his gaze to the pit at his feet. Nick's stomach gave a lurch.

"Luke, we know you killed those girls," Nick said. "Whether you kill Sara or not… you're going to jail. So why don't you just hand her over?"

Luke stared at Nick.

"You care about her, don't you?" he said sickly. "Well. You should leave, then. You're not gonna want to see this."

Luke cocked the gun at Sara's temple. Nick heard Greg shout out. But before Luke had time to pull the trigger, Sara started shaking, violently convulsing, and dropped to the ground, out of Luke's grasp. In the split second of his distraction, both Brass and Nick took shots at Luke, several of them striking him in the upper chest. Nick lowered his gun and ran towards Sara, Greg at his heels. Sara was twisting on the ground, every inch of her violently shaking.

"She's having a seizure, call paramedics," Nick shouted at Greg.

Beside him, Sara went limp, her eyes closed.

"Sara," he said to her, feeling her pulse and forehead. "Sara, honey."

She didn't wake. The next few minutes were a blur, paramedics arriving with two stretchers, one for the unconscious Sara and one for Luke's lifeless body. Grissom, Catherine and Warrick arrived with them, on their heels as they raced towards them. A helicopter arrived to life lift Sara, Nick heard himself saying he would be going with her. He didn't trust her with anyone else.

As he clambered into the helicopter, he caught a glance of them standing there, Greg, Warrick, Catherine, Brass and Grissom, their silhouettes outlined against the horizon. He felt a rush of affection for each of them. But right now, he needed to be with the one member of his team he truly loved.

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**If you've read up to this point, let me know what you think! Reviews might give me motivation for a great ending ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Second to last chapter. The last one's going to be short, so I made this one longer than usual. I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks to everyone who has given me feedback so far. Keep it coming, I LOVE hearing what you guys think! :)**

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When she finally, blearily, opened her eyes, she could just make out a shadowy figure sitting near her bed in the dark room. Her throat was burning, her head pounding, and her body aching all over, but she found the strength to speak.

"Nick."

Nick's drooping head jerked up at the sound of her voice. He got out from his chair and knelt at Sara's bedside, taking her hand.

"Hey, sweetheart," he whispered to her, examining her face. "How you feeling?"

Sara nodded weakly.

"Okay."

Nick nodded back, tentatively reaching out and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. She looked so fragile, he almost didn't want to touch her.

"Better now… that you're here."

Nick stared at her, surprised at her soft words. She spoke again.

"You found me?"

His eyes dropped, and he stared at the IV tube in her arm. He nodded again. He heard a soft rustling and felt a warmth on his face. Her hand was on his cheek.

"Thanks, Nicky," she whispered. "For not giving up on me."

He lifted his gaze to meet her eyes.

"I would _never_ give up on you," he emphasized.

He let go of her hand and pressed his forehead to his palms.

"God, Sara, I was so worried about you," he muttered.

He looked up.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

She hesitated, but nodded again, tears in her eyes this time.

"I can't imagine what you've been through," he said, trying to fight back tears as he looked at her.

Sara made a noise like she was attempting to speak, but it took several moments for it to finally come out.

"Luke?..."

"He, uh… he's dead," Nick said. "Shot."

Sara processed this information, nodding vaguely.

"The, uh… everyone's here," Nick stuttered, desperate to change the topic. "They'll love to see you… if you want to see them."

"I just want to see you," Sara said, surprising Nick again.

She took his hand.

Nick bit down hard on his lip, contemplating whether to divulge his feelings for her. He had sworn to himself he wouldn't. This wasn't the time. Sara didn't need… _this_, on top of everything else. So instead, he squeezed her hand and flashed her what he hoped was an encouraging smile.

"I'm so glad you're okay, darlin'," he said, staring into her eyes. "You should get some rest."

He made a movement to leave, but Sara held tight to his hand.

"Nick, don't go," she pleaded as he hesitated. "Please… please stay here."

She didn't have to ask twice. He lowered himself back into the chair, but Sara carefully wiggled to one side of the bed, her expression clearly asking him to come closer to her. He obeyed, tentatively sitting on the edge of her bed.

"C'mon," she whispered, almost a hint of laughter in her voice. "There's room enough for the two of us."

Nick let out a quiet laugh and settled himself next to Sara. He was still holding her hand.

"Nick."

"Hm?"

"I… I think I realized something."

Her voice was shaking.

"What's that, darlin'?"

"During the…" she started. "The whole time that I… well, all I could think about was… _you_."

Nick was silent, waiting for her to continue.

"All I wanted was for you to come find me," she went on. "Every time I closed my eyes, I imagined it, to keep me from thinking about what was really going on. Every time, Nick, it was you that rescued me. And I realized… it's always been you."

Nick squirmed a little in the cramped bed, being careful not to tug on any of the tubes connected to Sara on one end and to beeping machines on the other. He turned his head to look at her.

"Nick, I… I love you," she said seriously, looking right into his eyes.

He stared at her, vaguely aware that his mouth was partly open. She broke his gaze.

"I understand if you don't feel the same way, I mean-"

She was interrupted. Interrupted by the feel of Nick's lips on hers, expressing in a thoroughly nonverbal fashion that he felt the same way. When they broke apart, there was a vague look of surprise on her face.

"I love you too, Sara," he said, as if it weren't obvious enough. "I always have. It took Natalie taking you for me to realize it, but since then I… I haven't stopped thinking about you. All I want to do is protect you and keep you safe."

A smile stretched across her face and Nick's heart melted for the Sara he knew he loved. She cuddled against him, nuzzling her head into his chest as he raised his hand to stroke her hair.

"I feel safe right now," she said into his chest.

Nick smiled, a warmth spreading across his body at Sara's closeness. He realized how right it felt, to be holding her this way. He planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"Good," he whispered.

Sara lifted her head and propped it atop her hands.

"The lab will go crazy when they get wind of this."

"Always the talk of the town, Sara Sidle."

She smiled and settled back into him again.

"I don't even care," she said. "Long as it means I get to be with you."

* * *

"Well, I can't say I didn't see it coming."

Brass was staring through the cracked door at the two sleeping figures tangled in the hospital bed. He was surrounded by the other members of the Las Vegas Crime Lab, most of whom were more shocked than he was to find two of their co-workers cuddling in bed.

"Seriously?" Warrick asked incredulously. "'Cause Nick's my best friend, and I had _no _idea. Cath?"

"Not a clue," Catherine replied, shaking her head but smiling. "They do make a cute couple though. Greg?"

Greg raised his eyebrows at the question.

"Do you think I would have shamelessly flirted with her if I knew?" he joked. "Griss?"

"No."

The single word was said softly, but was packed with meaning. As Grissom stared at Sara, he realized he could have had her. Since he had met her, he knew she was something special, that's why he brought her to Vegas, and yet… he didn't have the courage to risk everything for her. He shook his head slightly.

All for the best, he thought. He could have never given Sara the attention and care she deserves. After everything, at the very least, she deserved someone who would treat her well. Grissom knew Nick would do that.

"Maybe we should come back," Greg suggested, seeing as neither of the two figures were stirring.

They were interrupted by a nurse, approaching them with her arms full of files.

"I have to check her vitals and change the IV," she said to the group. "Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing… she'll be awake soon, if you want to stick around."

"Thanks."

The nurse entered the quiet room and started her routine checks on the machines and their numbers.

"Sara?" the nurse asked softly. "You've got quite a welcoming committee, if you're up for it."

From the doorway, they saw Sara stir. The nurse headed back towards them, smiling.

"Go ahead," she said. "Although, if I could make a suggestion, one or two at a time? We've just got the shock under control, I don't want to overwhelm her."

"Of course," Catherine replied. "Gil?"

"Oh… no, it's okay," Grissom stammered. "Someone else can… can go first."

Greg pushed his way through, anxious to see his best friend. As he crossed into the room, Nick rose from the bed. He patted Greg's shoulder they passed and left, not wanting to intrude.

"Sara," Greg said warmly, striding to the bed and giving her a tender hug.

"Hey, Greg."

"I'm so glad you're okay," Greg said. "I couldn't have imagined if… if…"

Sara interrupted him with a smile.

"I missed you too, Greg."

After a few minutes' polite chatter, Greg jerked his head towards the door.

"So… you and Nick, huh?"

"Yeah," Sara replied, feeling herself blush. "Me and Nick."

"You coulda told me," Greg joked, elbowing her gently. "I mean seriously, this is grade-A gossip."

"Sorry, Greggo," Sara laughed. "It just kinda happened."

"Yeah, well, I know he'll look after you," Greg said, rubbing Sara's arm as she nodded fondly. "Hey, I know everyone wants to see you. I'll stop by sometime tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

Greg flashed a smile to Catherine and Brass on his way out, indicating that all seemed to be okay.

"Hi, honey," Catherine said affectionately, giving the brunette a once-over before giving her a hug.

"Hey, Cath."

"How you feeling, kiddo?"

Brass touched her face lightly, looking at her cuts and bruises.

"Better, actually," Sara smiled. "It's good to see you."

"You too," Catherine choked.

"Aw, Cath, don't," Sara said, feeling guilty for making her cry. "It's okay, really. It's over. I'm fine. _Really_."

"Hey, you," Warrick said, joining them and smiling at the sight of Sara. "Good to see you're okay."

Sara met his smile as she offered another hug. Over Warrick's shoulder, she saw another lone figure, standing in the doorway. Catherine sensed him there too.

"We'll let you get your rest," Catherine said, squeezing Sara's hand and giving her a meaningful look. "You call us if you need anything. Got it?"

"Got it," Sara smiled. "Thanks, Cath."

"Glad you're okay, Sara," Warrick said with another quick hug.

"Take care of yourself, kid," Brass said, winking at her as he turned.

The three exited and left an uncomfortable silence hanging over the room.

"Hi, Gil," Sara said softly, breaking it.

"Sara."

Grissom made his way over to her bed, anxiously, but cautiously all at once.

"Are you all right?" he asked seriously.

"I will be," Sara replied, picking distractedly at a loose string on her blanket.

"Sara, I…"

"Gil, don't," Sara interrupted. "You don't have to explain anything."

Grissom was silent, looking at her with an inscrutable gaze.

"I guess I… I always knew," Sara continued. "That it wouldn't have worked out. You and me."

Grissom forced his hand to move and covered her fingers with his.

"I still care about you," Sara said. "I always will. It just… wasn't meant to be."

"You," Grissom said softly, finally breaking his silence. "Make me very happy. From the moment I met you. Bringing you to Vegas was the best thing I ever did, because I love having you around. I love watching you work and hearing you laugh. But Sara… you're right. It just didn't feel right."

Sara bit her lip and nodded as he went on.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you… I'm sorry I _did_ hurt you."

He reached up tentatively and pushed back a strand of her hair as moisture gathered in her eyes.

"Nick is the best guy I know," he said quietly. "I don't know if he deserves someone like you, but I know he'll work very hard to make you happy. I just want you to be happy, Sara."

She gave him a watery smile.

"I am happy."

They stared at each other wordlessly for a few moments before a noise at the door broke their silence. Nick was back.

"Sorry… I- I thought everyone left," Nick stammered.

"They did," Grissom said simply, rising from his chair. "And I am too."

He turned back towards Sara, giving her a small smile that expressed everything that went unsaid. He walked towards the door, clapping Nick on the shoulder as he went.

"Take good care of her," he said into his ear.

"Always."

And with that, Grissom left.

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**One chapter to go! Let me know what you think! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: We've reached the end! I know this is short, but I didn't want to stretch it out. Thanks to everyone that has either read and/or reviewed, I appreciate it! **

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For several seconds, Sara stared at the door Grissom had just exited.

"You okay?"

Nick was approaching her cautiously, a concerned tone to his voice. Sara squeezed her eyes shut, and a few tears ran down her cheek. She opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded. Nick's heart ached for her, and he acted on his urge to comfort her, resuming his position in her bed. She immediately moved closer to him, and he wrapped his arms all the way around her slim frame.

"Sara," he whispered into her hair. "It's okay to cry."

And that's exactly what she did. She cried into his chest as he said nothing, knowing she had to let it out. He stroked her hair and ran his hand up and down her arm, letting her know he wasn't going anywhere. When she had cried all she could, she pulled away a little, a shy, embarrassed look on her face.

"I'm sorry," she choked.

"Don't be," Nick said, running his finger lightly against her cheek.

"I'm such an unattractive crier."

Nick let himself laugh, thinking that everything about her was attractive. She took several deep breaths before lowering her head back onto his chest.

"Everything _will_ be okay, Sara," Nick said. "You've got me now, and I'm not going to let _anything_ hurt you."

"You think this'll work, Nick?"

Nick raised his eyebrow at her.

"You tryin' to get rid of me already, darlin'?"

Sara let out a laugh and squeezed his midsection.

"Never."

"Good, because it won't be that easy."

He twisted one of her curls around his finger, contemplating whether or not to continue.

"Look, Sara, I know you haven't had much in your past to make you believe in happy endings," he said. "But I promise you, this time will be different. I'm not going anywhere, and I love you."  
He stopped playing with her hair and tilted her chin up to look into her eyes.

"I won't hurt you, Sara."

He watched her lips curl into a small smile.

"I know," she whispered.

He tucked her hair behind her ear and let his hand linger there. He held her head in his hand, cupping her chin and moving his thumb back and forth across her cheek. She let his fingers trace her features, by her earlobe, down her chin and across her lips. She looked at him with such trust and love, he couldn't take it. He lowered his head and reveled in the feeling of his lips on hers. She deepened the kiss, and he felt a deep ache low in his belly. He had never loved anyone like this before, and he knew that this was his purpose. To love Sara. To protect her. To be there for her in every trying time and to care for her with all his heart.

She began to plant soft kisses across his face and down his neck, before settling into that place on his chest where she fit so well. He rested his head atop hers as a great wave of satisfaction settled over him. This was how it was supposed to be. This was meant to be. It would be a different world from now on, a new chapter in both their lives, and he didn't know what it would bring. But as long as he had Sara, nothing else really mattered.

A/N: Take a second and hit that little review button to tell me what you think! I have a one-shot story that will be posted soon... it's a little different from this one, but keep an eye out for it! Thanks so much!


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